Tucked away in the picturesque Adelaide Hills about an hour from Adelaide city is the small rural community of Woodside. The area is a tourism centre, featuring handmade and boutique fine food manufacturers. One such artisan is Kris Lloyd, who heads the Woodside Cheese Wrights.
Lloyd’s family owns the Coriole range of wine, olive oil and olives, produced nearby, and since 1994 the company has been manufacturing cheeses, made mostly from local goat’s milk. She is the general manager of a small staff and head cheese maker.
Lloyd’s attitude differs significantly from other producers of specialised or boutique food items in Australia; instead of closely guarding her knowledge, she is keen to share information with others, to increase overall knowledge of cheese making in Australia. Lloyd has travelled extensively through Europe, particularly in Italy and France, to discover more about her craft. She has initiated a cheese cooperative with other local cheese makers, sharing information and techniques with each other. She is also working with education institutions, rewriting the cheese-making apprenticeship curriculum.
Most of the cheeses at Woodside are made from goat’s milk. However, Jersey milk is also used to make Charleston Jersey Brie, a smooth, creamy brie made in large wheels with a buttery yellow interior. Milk production is seasonal (goats and cows produce more milk during the summer months) and the seasons also affect flavours in the cheese.